Marik's Story
by Nightcrawlerlover
Summary: Marik comes to Nights and tells Faith and Xander the story of his life...


**Hey there, my fellow writers and readers. :) Here's a new chapter of "Tales of the Barman... Part II" by Methos. I hope you like this one as much as I did writing it. **

**Disclaimer: Genius Kazuki Takahashi owns Yu-Gi-Oh. Joss Whedon (also a genius) owns Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The lyrics to How Soon Is Now by The Smiths belong to their respective owners. I own the fanfics that I cook up from time to time.**

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><p><span>Marik's Story<span>

_I am the son  
>And the heir<br>Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar  
>I am the son and heir<br>Of nothing in particular_

_You shut your mouth_  
><em>How can you say<em>  
><em>I go about things the wrong way<em>  
><em>I am human and I need to be loved<em>  
><em>Just like everybody else does<em>

~The Smiths, **How Soon Is Now**

It was a new and yet quiet night at Nights. Xander and Faith were busy cleaning the bar with red and white-colored rags.

Besides helping to serve the drinks to the customers whenever she could find the time, Faith liked giving the surface of the bar a good cleaning every now and then; she felt she was doing a little service to help Xander out.

_That and the fact that ‛many hands make light work', too, _Faith thought and smiled a little at those words.

Her hearing – very acute thanks to her Slayer powers – was busy picking up pieces of the conversations the customers were having with each other. Although they talked in whispers, they had no idea that a dark-haired Slayer was able to hear them.

Soon, the discussions of many topics that ever graced the humble walls of Nights died down when it happened. The front door opened – causing Faith to look up along with Xander – and **he **walked in.

He had white-blonde locks and amethyst eyes. His outfit consisted of a sleeveless purple shirt, black pants and black shoes. Hanging from his ears were gold earrings. Gold neckwear adorned his neck. Matching gold armbands and bracelets were on his arms and wrists.

"Hello," he said. Even though it was just one single word, Faith, Xander and the other customers were still in shock.

Soon Faith found her tongue. "Um... hi," she replied.

The blonde-haired guy looked all around, his violet orbs seeming to take in almost everything at the bar – especially the back wall that was adorned with pictures of stories from previous customers.

It was only when his amethyst orbs locked with Faith's dark brown ones that a smile crossed his features. From Faith's perspective, he seemed to have an aura of the exotic surrounding him – such as Africa, possibly.

As soon as "Africa" appeared in her mind, Faith blinked. She realized that ever since she had started working as part of the help at Nights, she had been so busy with work that she simply hadn't had the time to ask Xander or Spike about the continent – which, now that she thought about it, happened to be where Egypt, the birthplace of Pharaoh Atem, was located.

Faith quickly pulled herself back to the present and smiled as she looked at the blonde-haired guy. He returned the smile as she extended her hand to him.

"I'm Faith – Faith Lehane. I'm a Vampire Slayer," she said. The guy looked her up and down, his violet eyes taking in her clothes, and liking what he was seeing. He then reached over and took her pale hand in his own tanned one before turning it over so the back was bared to his amethyst gaze.

"And such beauty," he purred, his voice possibly flowing an exotic aura as well – Arabian, maybe. He then pressed his lips to the ends of Faith's fingers in a kiss. Faith felt her cheeks blush crimson at such a gesture that was said to be dated and yet was so gentlemanlike. She was at a loss for words, but Xander smiled, knowing that Faith was well-pleased with the manners this guy had.

"My name's Alexander Harris, but I like being called Xander for short," said Xander as the guy turned to him, smiling, and shook his hand.

"Faith, Xander – it's nice to meet you two. I am Marik – Marik Ishtar," the teenager finally said. "I'm a Tomb Keeper."

" ‛Tomb Keeper'?" asked Xander. "What is that, may I ask?"

"Well, let me put it this way. My family – we guarded the Pharaoh's tomb," Marik explained, seeing Xander's puzzled look.

"Please, tell us more," said Faith.

Marik bowed his head in a gentlemanly way. "If that is what you wish, Faith. Since you asked so politely, I will tell."

Clearing his throat, Marik then launched into his story, keeping eye contact with Faith and Xander as he did so.

How he had been initiated into becoming a Tomb Keeper at the age of twelve by having the Tomb Keeper's legacy tattooed on his back. How he despised his family's tradition of staying underground in order to guard the Pharaoh's tomb in Egypt and never seeing the outside world above the surface. How his other self, Yami Marik, was born from his hatred and pain, and had sent his father to the Shadow Realm. How he had inherited the Millennium Rod before it was even his time to do so.

As he told his story, Marik noticed that Xander and Faith made a very good audience; they looked shocked in all the right places, and when Marik told of how Yami Marik took over his body after his adopted older brother Odion passed out from exhaustion after the Duel with Joey Wheeler and fell into a coma, Faith almost screamed out loud, but stopped herself and calmed down.

"Wow, been there, Marik," she said.

Marik nodded as though saying ‛Oh, I hear you, Faith – I hear you' before finishing the rest of his story.

Redemption. How bad he felt when he realized that his darker side, Yami Marik, was the one responsible for sending his father to the Shadow Realm. Taking control of his body after Odion had woken up from his coma and choosing to surrender in the Duel against Yami Yugi (which in turn sent Yami Marik to the Shadow Realm).

Finally – last but not least – giving the Millennium Rod to Yami.

"And that is basically what happened," he said.

"Wow," Xander remarked. "Marik, you make an awesome storyteller." He paused. "You know, I had no idea you had all that happen to you, and yet you still survived."

Marik smiled at Xander's words; they really made him feel good.

With that, he reached into his pants pocket, pulled out a folded piece of paper and unfolded it.

On the paper was a drawing of the Millennium Rod. Faith and Xander looked at it and grinned at each other.

"You can have that, Xander," Marik nodded. "After all, I've heard through the proverbial grapevine that you listen to the stories from the customers that come here, and then collect them." He paused for a moment before smiling. "And I think that's a very awesome thing right there."

From Faith's point of view, to say that Xander was surprised would be an understatement. To put it in a better way, he was shocked – but only for a little bit, though. _And Xander sure reminds me of Oz in that way – sometimes, _she thought while smiling to herself.

Xander cleared his throat, and his trademark grin soon replaced the look of shock that had adorned his face.

"Uh... thanks, Marik," he replied. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Marik nodded a ‛you're welcome'. "It was meant to be one."

With that, Marik turned on his heel and, stepping across the floor as lightly as a jungle cat, walked out of Nights, gesturing for Faith and Xander to follow him. He then headed over to where a motorcycle was parked in front of the building.

Faith and Xander blinked when their eyes fell upon the motorcycle. Marik noticed where they were looking and smiled.

"Is that a motorcycle?" Faith asked.

"Indeed it is, Faith. You see, I've wanted one of these ever since I was a kid," he explained while getting on the motorcycle. Faith was impressed with his explanation, short as it was; so was Xander.

He turned the key, and the motorcycle sprang to life. With a wave goodbye, Marik disappeared down the road.

When they remembered it later, Faith and Xander couldn't help but smile.

Somehow they knew Marik was one of those kinds of people that always seemed to be able to survive anything.


End file.
